Bandie

latestnetflix.com's take is that Here is a chronologically ordered plot synopsis of *Bandie* (1978) built from the subtitles:

A hunting match ends with one man defeated twice—once in the hunt, once in a mock duel—and the victor, the King of Rampur, offers a boon. The loser asks for his daughter to marry the King’s son, but the King replies that he has no son and no hope of one. He then names his younger brother Vikram Singh’s son, Kanchan Singh, as his heir.

Later, Vikram Singh is told by a servant that the Elder Queen is pregnant and will reveal the news to the King upon his return from the hunt. Vikram insists the claim must be false, declaring that his dream of seeing his own son on the throne is too precious to break. He orders a man named Zalim Singh to wait in the jungle and kill him if the news proves true.

Vikram confronts his brother the King with the accusation that the Elder Queen has fled with Zalim Singh, shaming the royal family. The King, stunned, refuses to believe it until Vikram insists. The Elder Queen then appears, pregnant, pleading for her life and that of her unborn child. Vikram relents, but orders her to be found and the family’s honor restored.

Years pass. A boy named Bhola, who cannot be recognized, hides a knife and is warned by his mother not to seek the friend who gave it to him. She tells him to throw it away, saying it will end the story. Bhola replies that the story cannot end so easily.

In the township, a moneylender named Ram Das threatens to demolish huts if loans are not repaid. A man is falsely accused of being a robber and taken to the police station, where he is mocked. The moneylender later reveals he sent money to spare the township, and the villagers cheer.

A Princess of Rampur, Radha, is introduced as unwilling to marry the Prince of Bharatpur, Uday Singh, calling him a drunkard and lecher. She declares she would rather die than accept him. A sage appears and tells her to return to the palace immediately, but she resists, insisting she will not marry Uday Singh.

Meanwhile, a man resembling the missing Prince Uday Singh is brought to Bharatpur by Commander Raghuveer and the Minister. Raghuveer explains that the real Prince has vanished and that this man will stand in his place until Uday is found. The man protests that he knows nothing about being a prince, but Raghuveer insists he learn quickly.

The imposter is installed in the Prince’s chambers. Chandravadan is ordered to ensure he does not escape. The Minister and Raghuveer discuss the coronation and the need to find the real Prince before the ceremony. They decide the imposter will serve as a façade for the British authorities.

Radha is brought to the palace under guard. She meets the imposter Prince and, though initially hostile, begins to soften. She confides in him that she does not want to marry Uday Singh and fears her father’s promises. The imposter listens and later tells her that royal blood is not everything, and that true happiness may lie outside the palace.

A series of songs and exchanges follow, including a moment where the imposter uses a magnet to perform a trick for Radha, who is intrigued. He tells her that a woman’s beauty and intelligence are the most magical things in the world.

Vikram and Kanchan Singh plot to kill the imposter during the coronation celebration in Rampur. They plan to sever the chandelier rope so it falls on the King’s head. Kanchan, urged by his father, prepares to act as if he is drunk to avoid suspicion.

At the coronation venue, the imposter—drinking wine—is nearly exposed when he slurs his words. Radha, watching from a balcony, laughs unexpectedly. The Minister and Raghuveer grow uneasy, fearing the plan may unravel.

Anand, a loyal servant, is punished by Kanchan Singh for failing to kill the real Prince. Anand is beaten and told that if he fails again, he will be killed. He pleads with Bimla, a palace woman, for poison to end his life.

Bimla, who has been meeting secretly with the imposter, is torn between loyalty to Kanchan and her growing affection for the man she believes is Uday Singh. She tells him she wants to die rather than continue in deception.

The imposter confesses to Radha that he is not the real Prince but a lookalike brought in to stand in. He explains that he was found on the street and trained to play the role. Radha, enraged, calls him a liar and a cheat. He accepts her anger and says he will find the real Prince and bring him back.

Vikram Singh is revealed to have an amputated leg. The imposter deduces that Vikram is the man with the amputated leg he once met in the train as a magician named Pawan Kumar, and later in the guise of a sage. The imposter tells Radha that truth is stranger than fiction.

Radha, still furious, refuses to believe the imposter’s story. She warns him not to touch her and declares she will kill him if he harms Uday Singh. The imposter replies that he will kill Uday Singh without touching him—implying poison or trickery.

Bimla is revealed to be the Elder Queen’s daughter and the imposter’s sister. She tells the King that she released Uday Singh because she could not bear to see him suffer further. She accuses Vikram Singh of murder and declares she will expose him.

The King, now understanding the full truth, forgives Bimla and accepts his son. He tells Radha to care for Uday as her brother. Uday, humbled, says he will leave the throne and go wherever he is needed.

Uday and Radha parting, their fates uncertain but their bond acknowledged. The throne is left open, and the cycle of power appears broken—not by force, but by truth and mercy.